Follow All The Winter Olympics Action Feb. 6-24 on NBC

Injured Skier Finishes Last, Winner Waits at Finish Line

Roberto Carcelen of Peru competes in the Men's 15 km Classic during day seven of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at Laura Cross-country Ski & Biathlon Center on February 14, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

Updated at 8:40 AM CDT on Saturday, Feb 15, 2014

When Swiss skier Dario Cologna made it across the finish line of Friday's 15k cross-country race, he could have basked in the glory of his victory. He finished first, notching his second gold medal of the Sochi Games.

Instead, he waited there for nearly 28 minutes when the very last man crossed the line.

Dramatic Photos: Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics

In a made-for-TV moment, Peruvian cross-country skier Roberto Carcelen, who competed with two broken ribs, pushed himself over the finish line, where he was greeted by roaring fans and --Cologna.

Adding to the drama of the event, Carcelen had picked up a Peruvian flag along the way and waved it proudly as he finished the course.

Winter Games Spills and Wipeouts

He finished dead last with a time of 1 hour, 6 minutes and 28 seconds.

Cologna and Dachhiri Sherpa, the second-to-last place winner from Nepal, hugged the exhausted athlete at the finish line.

"I had to finish it," Carcelen told The Associated Press. "The pain was worth it, I fulfilled a promise to Peru."

Carcelen fractured the ribs during training just 10 days before he was supposed to travel to Sochi for the Games and doctors recommended he sit them out, the AP reported.

The 43-year-old was the first athlete representing Peru to competing in a Winter Games. He made his (and Peru's) Winter Olympic debut at Vancouver, where he competed in the same race in 43 minutes 53.6 seconds.

Two other Peruvians are competing in Sochi: a brother-sister Alpine skiing duo.